Atlanta (WJCL) -- Gov. Nathan Deal announced Wednesday that Georgia has been named the No. 1 state in the nation in which to do business for the third consecutive year by Site Selection magazine, an economic development trade publication.

"Once again, Georgia has been named the top state in which to do business, reflecting our success in strengthening Georgia's economic environment and creating a top-notch workforce," said Deal. "Through collaborative public-private sector efforts, we have created hundreds of thousands of jobs for families, invested millions in our local communities and improved the overall quality of life for our citizens. This ranking is not only a testament to our strong business climate, but it also speaks to the commitment and support from our industry partners, communities and the people of Georgia."

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Each November, Site Selection releases rankings for the top states in which to do business. Georgia has been ranked among the top 10 states in Site Selection's business climate rankings throughout the last decade, holding the top spot for the last two years.

"Georgia is a regular top finisher in our annual analysis of state business climates," said Site Selection editor-in-chief Mark Arend. "But three consecutive first-place finishes in this ranking is a pattern. It says the state clearly has in place the business-attraction attributes most required by companies expanding and establishing new facilities."

The rankings are determined by a survey of corporate site selectors paired with an index of tax burden criteria according to the Tax Foundation and KPMG's Location Matters analysis and performance in Conway Data's New Plant Database, which tracks new and expanded business facility activity.

"Site Selection's third-time No. 1 ranking speaks volumes to our business-friendly environment, world-class infrastructure network, top-notch academic institutions, nationally-ranked training programs and vibrant socioeconomic culture," said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Chris Carr. "We provide companies looking to locate or expand here an experience that they cannot find anywhere else, and we will continue to work hard with our partners from around the state to maintain this reputation."